﻿The challenges of in-ground gardening at home, in the Albuquerque and surrounding areas, are aplenty. Those challenges can, in many ways, be thwarted by planting in containers. Container planting can offer a great number of benefits, as well as allowing one to plant many plants that would otherwise be nearly impossible to grow in the ground.

The diversity of plants that are suited to New Mexico is astounding, but the number of plants that can be grown in a container is even greater—given the correct amount of light, soil and water. Plant containers are generally a matter of preference. The Village Mercantile carries both plastic containers, in a variety of colors, as well as the common terracotta types. Both are suitable for growing a large number of plants. We here at the Village Mercantile can also design and plant a container for you. You can either choose which plants you like, or you can leave it up to us. We offer a wide variety of colorful annuals and perennials, as well as shrubs and trees that are suitable for container culture.

For those who prefer vegetable gardening, we have plenty of those, too. We carry an enormous variety of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, melons, okra and more—as well as a nice assortment of herbs. All of our plants are locally grown, and many were even grown onsite. The Village Mercantile can help you plan for all of your growing needs.

Now is a great time to get started with container gardening. Just come in and we can help you choose a container and suitable plants for it, and we’re here to help you along, every step of the way. We have everything you need: containers, soils, plants and fertilizers.

A first-time container gardener should, of course, start by choosing a container and then select the proper soil for it. For example, we carry Ferti-lome Ultimate Potting Soil, which is a great blend for any container … as well as for planting in the ground. The plants, of course, are up to you, and we have plenty. We carry annuals like petunias, dianthus, dusty miller, dahlias, marigolds, gazanias, verbena, potato vine, vinca, alyssum, portulaca, geraniums and more. For perennials: penstemon, blanket flower, red-hot poker, lavender, rosemary, hyssop, salvia, coreopsis, coneflower, sedum, iceplant, germander and others. We also have a number of shrubs and trees that work well in containers, like yucca, agave, smoke tree, rose-of-sharon, hawthorn and New Mexico olive. We carry a nice selection of fertilizers, too, including brands like Maxsea, Ferti-lome, Soil Mender, Neptune’s Harvest and Hi-Yield. Whatever you’re growing, we’ll know what you need to feed it. The Village Mercantile also offers container planting services: We can plant nearly anything we have on site in a container for you. Just pick the pot and the plants, and we’ll put it all together for a small fee. You can bring in your own pot if you’d like, or we can even design a custom container for you; it is your choice. We also offer transplanting services. If you have overgrown plants in containers at home—even houseplants—bring them in, and we’ll fix them up for you. We’re happy to transplant, rearrange, re-pot and more, for a nominal fee. Just come in and ask … we’re here to help!

We can give you advice about raised-bed gardening, too. We offer topsoil and compost in bulk for just that purpose. We also have large bales of peat moss to use as a base soil for your raised beds. And, depending on your raised-bed base, we have large bags of both vermiculite and perlite. Vermiculite is a great additive for water retention. Perlite is often added for drainage purposes. You can always customize your soil, even by using excess soil from your own yard for your raised beds. It all depends on what you plan to grow. If you have questions, come on in.

The Village Mercantile has all of the products and answers you need to make your gardening project a success, and we’re here seven days a week, so stop in and see us. Our staff is friendly and always ready to help, so don’t be shy. And remember: We’re also headquarters for all your pet food needs—from horses and cattle, to cats and dogs, and even small animals and birds. We have it all, and we are located just a short drive into Corrales, N.M. Say you saw us in the Weekly Alibi and we’ll give you 5 percent off your purchase. Also, while you’re in town, enjoy lunch or dinner at one of Corrales’ fine restaurants like Perea’s, Village Pizza or Hanna & Nate’s. And if you’re in town on Sunday, visit the local growers market!